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Polaris Indian Number 1 Rolls Out for Test and Quality Checks

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Indian number 1 from the new Polaris owned Indian Motorcycle company
Indian number 1 from the new Polaris owned Indian Motorcycle company

The new combined Polaris Indian company rolled out their first bike at Spirit Lake, Iowa. The company says this unit will be used for extensive testing and evaluation. Regular production will begin on October 1st.

Customers of the new Polaris owned Indian can feel confident the company will be around in the future which should contribute quite a bit to the growth of the brand.

Posted on Filed Under: American Motorcycles, Motorcycle Business

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Comments

  1. I am not sure what to think of this. I happen to know that another American Motorcycle company is for sale/seeking investors.

    EBR/Buell racing.

    I think that would be a match made in heaven.

    Mark L

    • had the same train of thought…there is so much potential for Polaris and Indian to open things up for the American-made motorcycle industry

  2. What bikes come to mind when people think of Indian?

    I think of a variety of bikes, including racebikes and innovative streetbikes. e.g. the Indian 841 & Indian Four

    Hopefully Polaris/Indian’s catalogue will not just include super-sized cruisers

    • Many would argue Indian’s heyday had passed by the time even the Scout (popularized by one Burt Munro) rolled off the production line.

      Polaris bringing Buell into the fold is a romantic idea – Pity motoczysz is off the market for the foreseeable future.

      I have no reason to expect Polaris to do a better job with Indian than anyone else since 1920, but bringing back the racing heritage of America’s first motorbike company now, ~100 years after the first motocycle (sic) transmissions and 4V/cyl v-twins now would be eloquent with the impending electric technologies.

      I’m another fencesitter.

  3. I agree with both Mark and hoyt. Getting at least one model in production is a necessary first step, but there are a lot of possible next steps. We’ll have to wait and see what their plans are.

  4. i believe it was albert einstein who said something like “insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

    i hope they can find it in themselves to innovate and do a good job of representing American motorcycling

  5. A good first step as long as it isn’t a Victory with valences and a Native American nightlight on the fender. It will have to be a different motorcycle (motocycle?) that gives the buyers a real choice. Considering the vast fields of wreckage in the wake of the Indian name, I hope Polaris can make it a success. American riders deserve another brand to choose from. If it goes, let’s anticipate a range of sporting Indians.

    • Not to sure on that.Indian needs its own motor.A Victory take over should cover all.A whole new Indian is needed.Right now it’s just a (EVO) in Indian cloths.So whats the difference?Look at what others are doing with the Indian name,KIWI,with a flat head twin,and Dakota with a inline four.

  6. I am kind of puzzled to be honest.

    To me, anyone who has not seen “Fastest Indian” movie, Indian motorcycle = big cruisers = any other cruiser, like Harley or Victory for that matter.

    To people who did see the movie, I am sure Indian means much more, but that was many decades ago, sport bikes have moved on, while Indian bikes have not.

    I hope somebody can shed some light on it for me, because I do not understand the move nor the intent for future.

    • Well, at one time Harleys were sporty bikes too, but that was when Cadillacs were performance-oriented as well. Times move on, for good and bad. Sometimes a bit of both. Both Harley and Indian went through phases of being sporty and being cruisers, and hotrodders using their big engines to make, in essense, “muscle bikes”, like the muscle cars of the sixties where you drop the big ol’ engine into a lighter, sportier chassis.

      • As you are probably aware, Cadillac once again makes vehicles that are very performance oriented, so there is certainly precedent for Indian to make a high performance naked like the Triumph Speed Triple while still producing behemoth cruisers like the one pictured.

        • So you guys seriously want me to believe that there will be an Indian sport bike in the future (just because 100 years or so they were considered a performance oriented machine) … oh boy. I think it’s time to move on … seriously.

          Anybody cares to explain to me how is Indian cruiser different to HD or Victory cruiser? I am still not seeing or getting it.

          • Hopefuly the difference will be the competition with Harley. Indian’s troubles and closing were the reason Harley became frozen in time. There was no compelling reason to compete without Indian.
            Who knows, maybe if Indian had continued to provide the competition Harley needed both companies would be building radically different bikes today. I wonder what ‘the biker lifestyle’ would be like if there were still a choice of Harley or Indian? Maybe we will find out, but I think Indian has too much catching up to do to regain the competition with Harley anytime soon, if ever.

  7. Same as it ever was if you ask me looks wise .

    Unfortunately I’m guessing the Indian brand , as it has with every previous owner , will be DOA within two years .

    Truth be known Victory isn’t exactly ringing the bells on the sales cash register , so what makes them think they’ll do any better with what is in essence a Victory wrapped in an Indian M/C costume ?

    • Victory isn’t exactly ringing bells on the sales end? I’d say they are having a pretty damn good couple of years.

    • How is an inline 4 unique? It must be the most common bike on the planet, except maybe for a V-twin. Do a V6, that would be unique…

        • “Indian’s in-line 4 was mounted with a longitudinal crank with shaft drive. Very unique.” – hoyt

          Unless you count BMW’s k-bikes.

          • How many decades did the BMW k bikes come after Indian’s? The cylinders are also mounted differently.

      • No, the most common bike on the planet is a transverse 4. Often refered to as an inline 4 by mistake.

  10. the teardrop headlight looks the same as the aftermarket unit I put on somebody’s Softail.
    hope it isn’t the same one, that was a cheap piece of junk and I ended up butchering the wiring to fit it properly.

    Indian needs a Scout sport bike or maybe a dual-sport to keep the name above the waterline.

  11. Appears to me this is the same S&S (correct me if I’m wrong) sourced motor, which is based heavily on the Harley Evo motor. That just seems wrong to me that Polaris would be making Harley clones, regardless of what they call them. You would think Polaris would come up with their own proprietary design, even if based on the Victory motor.

  12. I like the leather styling but why make it so massive and bulky looking? I was hoping it would have more slender pieces and look less like a harley. I too hope they do something unique to set them apart.

  13. I’m pretty impressed to see a rolling bike so soon. While it’s certainly great to see the Indian name given another chance to return to glory, the brand must divesify to survive by entering into the sport and dual sport markets in my opinion. If they don’t, they risk the same fate as their sister brand of Victory, becoming stones on dealership showroom floors that despite being a well engineered product, is unable to surmount the juggernaut that Harley Davidson has become in the heavy cruiser market.

    While some may predict that Indian will be gone in two years time as all the recent attempts to revive the brand would suggest, I think differently. If anything, it will be the Victory name that is dissolved, while the Indian name will continue to whatever extent that they decide to take it. Polaris no doubt shelled out quite a bit of money on this deal, money that was spent on a product that they already produce with the Victory line, so the only real drive for Polaris had to be to get the Indian name and the licensing rights that go along with it.

    Indian has a rich history in motorsports, including 3 back to back wins at the Isle of Man (1911-1913). It will be nice to see another true American sport motorcycle, something akin to what Erik Buell is building, evolve from this company.

  14. JT Nesbitt is either writing something very amusing at this moment – or – ignoring what is otherwise passing as a non-event in the history of American Moto(r)cycling.

    • The only bike I know of that JT Nesbitt saw to production is the Hellcat. (if you want to call that production).

      Sure, he’s designed bikes but so have many other American designers and bartenders

  15. I thought Polaris was going to redesign the Indian before they brought it to market, It looks to be just another Harley Clone with better Leather work. Oh well, they will sell a few to guys tired of being lost in the crowd of Harleys at bike night. Maybe this will force Harley to get off their butt and bring out some new Bikes. I can understand avoiding the Sportbike market, they are not selling at all, but it would be a No Brainer to put out a Adventure bike based on a Sporty.

  16. How will they do testing on this prototype? I think I have an idea:

    Heavy? Check
    Heavy steering? Check
    Non-compliant suspension? Check
    Vibration? Check
    Overheating rear cylinder? Check
    Under powered? Check
    Under braked? Check
    Scrapes in turns? Check
    Non existing passenger accommodations? Check
    Huge turning radius? Check
    Gratuitous styling? Check
    Potato Potato? Check

    “OK, it’s good to go”

    -todd

    • As I read these comments I am painfully aware that none of you have actually been to a dealership that sells Indian motorcycles. I was in one a few months ago and after hearing what these bikes have to offer I am convinced that they are better than anything Harley has on the street already. I am convinced that when I’m ready to sell my Harley cruiser I’m buying an Indian. I see it only getting better since they are going to collaborate with Polaris so I challenge any one of you to check them out in person and you might be as surprised as I was how good these machines really are.

      • Jeff, you must not have stopped at the Indain display at Bikeweek last few years.
        The bikes on display were poor fitting and dirty. The staff cared more about checking out the babes than talking to potential customers.
        I have emailed Indian questions (when are you going to equip real hardbags) and all I get is dealer contact info.

        Polaris did hire a firm to send out surveys to previous email contacts.

        Polaris must have money to burn. HD is too entrenched to make any sales gains at these price points.

    • Will Americans buy it? Check. But, it does look a lot like the last 3 versions of the Indian, and likely rides, runs, and handles similarly. I’d like to see them design and build a Sport Scout to butt heads with Sportsters, like a 4 cammer ohv, but with an oversquare motor that will rev, hardly any frame besides suspension, seat and fork mounts, weight under 425#, and in both a cruiser and cafer racer versions. Wait, that’s a Vincent…maybe a REAL touring version for the Chief, with rubber mount or counterbalancing.

      Back in the day, the first thing they rude boys did was take off that butt-ugly f. fender. Hint, Hint.

      • Butt heads with the Sportster ???. That`d be a real task !!. Yeh… I know, a Sport Scout. Make it extremely heavy for it`s engine displacement. Give it no noticable suspension. Completely unsporting ergonomics. Limited ground clearance. There you have it. Another bike with “Sport” in it`s name & no sporting ability. They`d sell by the million.

  17. I can’t say I’m surprised to see a Chief-alike as their first model Indian, but like others have said, I’m hoping for diversity in the lineup. And I don’t mean a competitor to the Sportster, either! A Scout standard single would be brilliant as would a dual-sporter. And bring back the inline four as well.

    • Primary Distinction Appearance:
      -no chrome on legs
      -premium pricing and brand
      -better looking leather
      Does that NOT make a desirable new product?
      (and I thought handling, power/weight ratio, MPG and reliability would matter)

  19. For the first couple of years, Polaris will be producing what is essentially the same bike that Indian did. Using the same big V, and just refine it a bit. After a while, you will see more and more changes, and possibly new models. These bikes WILL NOT BE a Victory dressed up as an Indian. They will be their own bikes, using their own motors, their own designers. Hopefully, Polaris can work on pricing, I believe that is a huge issue. They need to whittle that bottom line down by $5000 minumum to be successful. Unfortunately, they have already used the term, “premium pricing,” which doesn’t sound good.

  20. Looks like a Harley,
    Sounds like a Harley,
    Has the same old bad tech as a Harley.
    If I wanted one, i’d buy a Harley and put an Indian badge on it. Done.

    Not for me, can’t see the point.

  21. JT Nesbitt weighed in on this already: http://www.hellforleathermagazine.com/2011/05/an-open-challenge-to-make-indian-good/

    BTW-This bike has it’s own engine…it’s not an S&S like the Gilroy Indians.
    I would imagine that a company like Polaris, which prides itself on engineering, would love to introduce several models bearing the Indian name. They say they bought the marque because of it’s history and that means (at least as far as I understand it) that they have plans to meet several different segments of the market. However, these things take time.
    I’m taking a wait-and-see attitude. I think the Chief will build on the work done by Stellican and continue to refine the bikes, justifying their price tag. Then, Polaris will figure out where to go next.
    Personally, I’d love the chance to buy a standard that outperforms the Sportster.
    I’m looking towards buying a Griso SE to replace my Buell 1125R, ’cause I find them sexy…but that won’t be for at least 2-3 years yet.
    Build something I wanna buy, Polaris!!

    • you actually paid HFL to read something from Nesbitt?
      The same site that bashes HD yet falls over themselves in praise of Nesbitt & Confederate. All the while the latter used the same architecture for their motors. Then, somehow, he bashes Victory/Polaris. What a load of bs

  22. Indian needs this bike, cos it what the US market wants. But let’s hope they diversify away from the Heritage Softail (or Yamaha XV) silhouette and make something really cool, like a 3 litre inline 4.

  27. this is not a new bike
    this is the same model Indian made before polaris bought it
    it’s just the first polaris Indian that came out
    they are probably working on a new model as we speak
    correct me if I’m wrong

    • You are 100% correct. Polaris will be evaluating these, and then start to make changes that they feel are needed.

  29. Americans are very ready for purchasing BIKES made here in the USA, that said it’s a wait and see game right now, plus this rabbit whole goes pretty deep, so I will no doubt see plenty of thoughts on both sides of this issue…

    Papasan OUT!

  30. This is great. I’ve been around a couple of Victory machines and was impressed. This is where Indian should have been all along. If they release an updated 4-40, I’ll be at a dealership tomorrow.

  31. Looks way better that the Victory’s or HD’s to my eye. Maybe it’s the leather and the nicer full-skirt fenders. I still feel that Indian should go a similar route as Triumph has. You can still get “heritage” in a Bonneville, heavier, lower power, transverse vertical twin standard, but if you want something a bit different, they offer various types bikes, adventure, sport-touring, streetfighter, and sport, all with Triumph’s (almost) unique transverse triple configuration.

    Indian (Polaris) might do well to branch out into other areas as America’s tastes also branch out into adventure touring, or even smaller, well-rounded standards, and create their own niche with a (nearly) unique engine configuration such as their old inline four. Or how about an inline twin or triple for smaller bikes?

  33. People, please! This is NOT a new design! This is the same design that came out of the King’s Mountain factory when Stellican owned Indian! They’re testing it to make sure they got the setup at the new factory right before they start production of the same bike Stellican was making.

    After a year or so of making this bike, probably with a few detail changes or small design changes, they’ll start bringing out their own designs. Hopefully one of them will be a Four, and another will be a midsize Scout standard.

  34. Indian was my first motorcycle.
    I wouldn’t mind it being my last if it was truly interesting and an inline 4 sounds like just the one.
    Wicked nice sound from the originals.

  35. I’d like to address something a bit different about this, namely, the fact that any new motorcycle manufacturing being done in America is a good thing that will help put more American bikes on the road and more Americans to work making them. I don’t really care what kind of bikes Polaris/Indian makes, because at the prices they will doubtless charge, I won’t be able to afford them, unless they come up with something in the same price range as my Sportster. (Which would be nice, because I think we need some smaller bikes that handle well and get good mileage and that people without a lot of money could afford. An American-made Honda Cub or Bultaco, anyone?) But the main thing is that anything that puts another American-made bike on the road is a good thing for motorcycling and for America.

  36. My first bike was an Indian Chief. Bought for $20. Got it running. No drive chain so couldn’t ride it. Sold for $35 — good money in 1960.

    I’ll buy it back today for $70. Double yer money!

  37. It’s the T-Shirts, people.
    Harley-Davidson makes more money selling clothes than motorcycles. You can bet your “straight 4” that Polaris will start cranking out all sorts of clothing emblazoned with the Indian script and proud chiefs and warriors. I wonder if Native American peoples look at all this and sigh, wishing for a Pilgrim Motorcycle (with a pilgrim head running light on the front fender) that they could flog on the open highway.
    Soon, the name will be featured on all sorts of items from fishing poles to pool cues to house keys (all items I’ve seen with the H-D logo, and not that I mind: I’m a shareholder). And all of it will tout the fact, and Polaris loves this tidbit, that Indian is the world’s oldest “motocyle” company. Take that H-D! In time, I predict, Polaris will drop the Victory name entirely (Victory motorcycle beer mugs weren’t selling). They’ve just purchased a “heritage,” they’re not going to waste it as a specialty brand. And this newly purchased history will allow them to compete, on a more solid footing, for the hearts and minds of America’s motorcycle dudes.
    You’ll see the new clothing line before the new model line.

  38. Actually the great Indian Four had chain drive, as did the other American fours (Cleveland, Super X and Henderson). Only BMW K100, the Bellgian FN and the Danish Nimbus with longitudially mounted 4 cyl. engines used shaft drive.

  39. Well Sid,
    Just because I read HFL doesn’t mean I agree with EVERYTHING they write. Same as here at The Kneeslider. It’s called Taking in Information, Comparing it to Other Knowledge (Usually Empirical) and Drawing Your Own Conclusions.
    I think you misunderstand the basis of their HD bashing. They dislike H-D due to their refusal to do anything to appeal to younger people and/or inspire folks to become bikers, beyond the the ‘lifestyle’ flannel and open faced-helmet land-pirate stuff.
    Personally, I don’t really blame them for sticking to what they know.
    Harley has made good money doing so. And even though I ride a Buell, if HD made something I wanted to ride, I have never been treated so well as I have been at my local Harley dealership.

    However, Triumph seems to be doing well, by offering ‘Classics’ and bikes with newer technology. They was actually one of the few companies than grew during the recession.

    • I agree some of the bashing was directed@ not diversifying and not marketing anything (at the time) towards the younger crowd, but there was bashing towards the motors too which is hypocritical.

  41. I think that maybe Polaris should take a page from Harley-Davidson’s reorganization process from back in the 80s. When John Beals decided to take H-D from AMF and back to an independent company, one of the things that he did was make a connection to H-D’s heritage. He got Willie G. Davidson, (of the original Davidson family, part of the Harley and Davidson founding families) into a leadership roll with the company. This was a connection to H-D prior to the AMF days and served as a continuality of the original company. Polaris/Indian might be wise to see if they could find a decendent of the Hendee and/or Hedstrom families, founders of the original Indian Motorcycle Company. This would give them a link to the heritage of the original company, a link to “America’s oldest motorcycle”. They should also re-work the engine. The original Indian motors were 42 degree V-twins. Harley-Davidson’s trademark is the 45 degree V-twin and the present Indian “Bottle cap” PowerPlus, as previously stated, is a copy of the S&S aftermarket H-D “Evo” engine. Re-buld the PowerPlus to a 42 degree V-twin and get back to Indian’s trademark.

  42. I would guess the first model is just to get a running machine to market as soon as possible. You maybe won’t like it but at least it will be presented to the public with a dealer network and a company that can afflord to then make a new model. You don’t do that overnight. I am sure they want to establish a presence in the market. Some will see it as bad and others won’t. Polaris at least has the design capability to bring something else to market but you can’t expect them to do that in only a few months. Lets wait a year and see if we are singing the same song. If it appears nothing is happening then all might be lost but I don’t think that will be the case.

    • Excellent point. Not only resourceses to make a new model, but to sustain it. Dealer network to sell and to service it. Mechanics trained on it to work on it. It will take some time, but will place Indian in a better position eventually, much better than they have been in since the original company went under in 1953.

    • “singing the same song” with this thing will be ok for awhile, if Polaris can get good QC and use
      more modern mfg to get cost competitive with H.D. RoadKings. After which they’ll need to do some major redesign for weight savings,cost savings and performance to go head-to-head with the Japanese cruisers. It will be a “tough row to hoe.”

  43. Lee,

    Check your facts, John Beals did not do these things you claim.

    However; Vaughn Beals was very sucessful at rebuilding HD in the 80s.

  45. Now if they would make a heritage model with a springer front end, suicide clutch, gas tank mounted hand shift and an 80 cube flathead like my 1953 chief I had as a kid, well, SIGN ME UP!!!

    • Woody, you can get that right now…from Kiwi-Indian in SoCal. It’ll cost ya plenty, as it’s handmade in America.

  47. Stacius: “land pirate?” LOL. I am assuming you refer to the head scarves or “do-rags” or whatever they call those things. I’ve ridden Harleys (and other bikes, as well) for years and years, and I’ve never worn one of those things (don’t really understand why anyone would wear something like that under a helmet), but I think “land pirate” is a great line. I did, once, try an earring (back when only real pirates wore them), but the damned thing ripped out of my earlobe everytime I took off my helmet, so I said the hell with it and just stuck with the tattoos. You do make an excellent point about dealer treatment. I’ve owned several BMW motorcycles over the years, and with the sole exception of a small, family-owned dealership in California, I’ve experienced snooty and elitist attitudes in those places. At Harley dealerships across the country, on the other hand, people approach, are friendly, even if you tell them that you’re not there to buy, just window shop, and you don’t get any pressure. Now, I’m old enough to remember the days when many Harley dealerships would tell you that you were not welcome if you rode a chopper (or looked like you did) or at least made you park “out back” because you didn’t look like the guy in the crew cut, chinos and white bucks on their sales brochures. Clearly, attention has been paid on the corporate level to the whole idea of being “customer friendly.” Perhaps this is one of the reasons why the Harley turn-around is regarded as one of the biggest success stories in American business and is even studied in business schools. I hope Polaris has the same kind of attitude and luck. Now all we need is an American John Britten. (Please? Anyone?)

  48. I really hope Polaris can make a go of this. I’ve said for years that Victory is the new Indian, due to occupying the same market niche that Indian did back in the day.
    But the last Indian with a heritage dating back to 1901, was produced in 1953.
    Changing my name to George Washington doesn’t make me kin to the father of our country.

  49. first is that a polaris motor? it looks like the one Indian had in the last go round,could be I’m just not seeing strait,also if a certain Erik B. would become a part of this endeavour…well can you imagine..and build everything stateside not in say..i don’t know..India…and well I would be right in line…lol good going guys nice to see things are moving along…

  50. Indians motorcycles always were the nicest of the bikes the quality was good ..I heard Harley prospered because they got police and army contracts ,that was the meat and potatos private sales were second in the big picture back in the day now,it’s the other way. I think Polaris has what it takes to meet any expectations made of them,for one they have a nice bright shiny piece of paper to start with, harleys is pretty well drawn on,lol…also Polaris builds lots of cool stuff ,and really well…I’m getting excited.

  51. Come on everyone, the objective is darn present, powerful, affordable, safe and available bikes in the eyes of the buyer. Yeah there’s lot of comments on a lot of important facts and observations but the bottom line in the story is about Indian bike manufacture and about preserving Indian bike manufacturing. Yes it is a live or die manufacturing, World-Wide-War, about motorcycle manufacture, but if the cliché is “live to ride, and ride to live”, then let us support the notion of Indian motorcycles and Polaris and open/free market, buyer beware scenario. The planet is nearly 7 billion and the field of motorcycle riders is wide open. May all motorcycle manufactures prevail.

  54. I think Erik Buell is the closest thing we have to an American John Britten.
    One of the things I’ve noticed from comments here and elsewhere is that bikers tend to be a very conservative lot. We don’t like anything too radical.
    I’d love to see a new version of an Indian Scout…but what form would that take? What would we (motorcyclists) actually buy? Something like an American SV650? Or more along the lines of a Sportster with a modern engine? Or something else?

  56. John Britten was working on a completly new motorcycle design for Indian when he died. It was a beautiful Motorcycle from the sketches that I saw.If I were on the board at Polaris I would be buying up those plans.

  57. I was glad to read of the buyout. I’ve been looking to replace my Yamaha Warrior with an American made bike. My experience with Harley has not been good. I like the Indian name and tradition. I hope it works.

  58. This is the greatest news for Indian since 1953. They now have all the money and know how to make this the best bike in the world. For all of you talking about an Indian-4, Alan Forbes of Scotland has already developed a beautiful Indian-4 called the Dakota. If Polaris could only get their hands on this, Indian motorcycle would be the most awesome motorcycle company in the world!